Best One Year Poems
(the sequel to A Christmas Story Told By The Dog)
Twas the night before Christmas just one year ago,
When we had that commotion outside in the snow,
With reindeer a-runnin' this way and that,
And a strange obese man in a red suit and hat;
Who'd snuck down the chimney of all the strange places.
Guess he thought that way he'd leave fewer traces.
The folks were at church, they were gone for the evening.
The house was empty, at least it was seeming;
But I and the cat had been left on guard,
And when he entered we brought him down hard.
I fastened my teeth 'round his ankle and then,
The cat screamed and scratched him from eyebrows to chin.
He screamed and he scrambled back whence he came.
As I grabbed his bahunkus he called me a name.
He made it to roof and jumped in his sleigh,
And the reindeer took off in a fast get away.
They hit some old lady out in the street,
Swooping low for momentum for a speedy retreat.
The house was a shambles, the front yard a mess,
And I'm sure that old lady felt less than blessed.
I sit here remembering one year ago,
And all that commotion outside in the snow.
All of a sudden I heard a sound,
And the cat hit the window in one mighty bound.
He let out a screech that sent chills up my back.
I can scarcely believe it but that sucker's back.
This time he skipped us and went next door.
Just wait till he meets their black labrador;
For he still remembers that terrible night,
And you can be certain he'll put up a fight.
Merry Christmas, Y'all
Boston Strong 2014
One Year Later
There is a strength in compassion,
a courage in the compassionate,
not a faint desire to be of service
but a triggered response.
There is a power in sadness,
not in the tears or deflation
but in the determination to
persevere, to rise again.
There is a force in unity,
the inexplicable rumbling
of hearts, beating in response
to the hearts of others.
There is a passion in oneness,
in focus, in belief, determination,
a love shared, nurtured, shielded,
cherished, and necessary.
John G. Lawless
4/16/2014
submitted to - Best of 2014 – Poetry Contest
sponsor – Carol Eastman
We raced on our sleds down hills of snow
and skated on ice as winds would blow.
How lovely it was; how crisp and clear!
A season so special was Christmas one year
Gift-gifting with those I was able to meet
at our big reunion. What a treat
to have all of my relatives near.
We feasted with Yuletide joy that year.
A big talent show our small church had.
Sweet goodies made all us children so glad.
Later we whispered in Santa's ear
things that we wanted for Christmas that year.
Mom had us string popcorn on the tree.
It was a new thing for our family.
Laughing and talking filled me with cheer.
Togetherness reigned in that special year.
The night before Christmas - so hard to sleep!
Like souvenirs are memories I keep
of my Christmas day with family dear.
The best Christmas ever was that one year.
(Some of these things happened every Christmas for me, but I recall one year in particular when all of these things occurred. I think I was around 10!)
for A Christmas Gift Memory Poetry Contest
Sponsor: BJ Legros Kelley
The Enquiry
Is over
They did not find
the missing and murdered
whatever
they were looking for
But every woman knows
Why
There are so many
missing and murdered
Aboriginal women
As every woman knows
Why
There will never be
an Enquiry
into the men
who murder women
June 5th, 2019
January cools thoughts with drifts of snow and clouds
Floating aimlessly, nomadic
February thrills hearts with frosts of icy cold
Glazed pines, emerald dreams
March encourages tenderness with twisting winds
Caressing spirits, inspirational
April whispers joy through the soul, miracles grow
Revealing serenity, blooming peace
May sighs on the morning sun, tempting freedom
Wings of butterfly, birds - singing
June breathes soft melodies through the soul
Coloring hope in feelings alive and bold
July warms the air with vibrant flames of magnetism
Enchanting the fires within psalms
August awakens the intimacy of a harmony
Creating the edge of attraction
September prays for kindness that dreams
Arouses beliefs with grace and faith
October enlightens the center of the spirit
Rustling with leaves of fascination
November remembers the light of the past
Charming the glory of nostalgia
December glows with vibrant hues of love
Kissing hearts with benevolence
365 days of the Alcohol Experiment
After 30 days the need to continue was evident.
Italian adventure to Rome Florence and Venice, cosy restaurants and no wine a penance!
Elation on completion of a holiday with alcohol deletion.
Real rest, renewal and recuperation.
Not hangovers, exhaustion and a turn to work depletion.
No barriers of painkilling built up around me but open and available and at last truly living!
A feeling of real health never known,
sober sleep the deepest.
3 am awakenings not repeated.
Weight more stable than for 35 years
Alcohol free means energ--ie
Faced my AF fears and after 8 years trying, succeeded.
Now Coffee and company with intimate conversation not superficial chat, slurred speech and inebriation.
AF tribe explosion. Deep friendships unfolding.
laughs and special moments. Discovering worthyness and self love and whaw that I am enough!
Lliving in the moment not for the alcohol moment.
Sober socialising discovered.
Alcohol companies, brainwashing adverts pedalling lies uncovered.
Culture driven by alcohol is epidemical
Profits & Taxes guaranteed by a chemical.
Facing trauma and grief with a stable mood. Alcohol as the cause of anxiety and depression understood.
Just 10 months AF with my beautiful mother.
Such quality time above any other.
Emotional transparency, expression and facing the pain. Not numbing and smothering self again.
It's a brave new world of no regret experience.
Just wished I had known and not spent years delerious.
I'm not looking back not giving in now!
This new life I've found will much more than do
Cause it's wonderful, beautiful, amazing and true and I wish for a total culture that's new!
Form:
Today I turn one on poetrysoup
Today I want to say thank you
ASANTI
To all my friends here on soup
I remember the first poem I posted
I wasn't sure about being on a poetry website
Uncomfortable, trust issues, new, lack of knowledge,.....you know all those things that come in play when you are in a new environment
Plus am a little slow when it comes to technology
Written few weeks prior to joining psoup
It was a poem dedicated to all my friends
They all received it
They all loved it
Thank you for the love
Thank you for the support
Thank you for the embrace
Thank you for the advice
Wherever I go,
This will always be my home
*Sometimes I visit, I don't always log in but I read from afar and the new energy, the new posts, the new creations always leave a smile on me. I still read, it seems I never leave comments anymore.....'cos of so many reasons that I myself can't even understand....please don't judge, maybe it's just a phase in my writing journey as I continue to discover myself. I have mad love and great memories of the great poets i've met here*
Sitting in the corner of a crowded room,
thinking back to that saddening day,
one year went much too soon,
a year since I let her fall away.
So much around me has changed,
yet my mind seems to have not,
a world of imprisonment so strange,
but even this couldn't change my thought.
a year of nothing but sorrow,
days of mourningful events,
today she is all I can swallow,
nothing else shall make a dent.
A tear shall be shed for my Kiyah,
a child whom I let get away,
long past when I expire,
should she have been enjoying the day.
It was one year ago today when four innocent people were shot.
The killer thought if he killed the witnesses he'd get away with it but he did not.
Two of those unfortunate people died but the other two survived.
They would've all perished if the Paramedics hadn't quickly arrived.
It's terrifying to even think about what happened in that drug store.
Because of a very evil man, two nice people aren't alive anymore.
Somebody told my friend that she should move because of that man's brutal attack.
But she and I are not going to leave our hometown because of that deranged maniac.
Jason Bryan Holt is the murderer and he has a town full of haters.
The town of Bean Station is still saddened and in shock one year later.
(Dedicated to Stephen Lovell, Richard Sommerville, Alexia Wilson and Janet Clift who were shot one year ago today at Minnis Downhome Pharmacy.)
Yellow Letter Pad
In the environs of Kashmir our romance unfurled
As we sat honey eyed in our celestial world
Time had stopped running and lovingly slowed
A year had gone by and our unsurmountable joy glowed
As we held hands in the dim lights of the balcony's corner
Of a our first five star hotel in a celebratory dinner
Overlooking the Dal Lake with hundreds of houseboats brightly lit
Like sparkling stars had descended while I felt the light winds flit
My greek god had proposed to me in a car park a year ago
Till then we had only eyed each other, the future I didn't know
But was always struck by lightning and there was a thunderous tempo
Our families were familiar, but each ran after his own rainbow
The silence was broken when I migrated and stood on my own
I was a voracious letter writer and let the seeds of love be sown
I compelled a man suffering from writer's cramp for penned exchanges
Dried flowers were embossed on my yellow letter pad pages-
They had to be sadly burnt down some while ago
As white ants too had started romancing with them and I had to let it go-
He paid me some outstation visits as we sat by the lake
He regaled me with his anecdotes of his adventures in the army
My knight with his charismatic chauvinism did charm me
A year later I culminated my relationship with my beloved
As promised he took me to the paradise on earth that he just loved
(February 11, 2016
Contest: One Year In Love)
March 20, 2016
Contest: Screwed # 12
Sponsor : Rob Carmack
10/18/2007 To Krista, love, Karen
When good things try to scare us with things we don’t deserve
Sometimes we still believe our lies and never find the nerve
To proudly stand and take the coin
That proves our lies were wrong
The months and days all in a row
The minutes took so long…
But here we are, one year has gone
And Krista never drank
The kids were kids
And all day long
Well, Krista never drank
We met again at Kingston Creek
That Saturday in June
We shared a common trait…
Who knew?
The two of us were doomed
Around the rooms for many years
And couldn’t find a friend
Imagine that. Both in AA
The ‘clicks’ were smaller then
So Krista shared and so did I
About our sad dilemma
We both were gorgeous, smart and funny
But couldn’t find a frienda
The whole thing was hysterical
When we shared it with each other
We laughed the laugh
Of those who laugh, and go on to recover
Laughter is the medicine that heals your every wound
I thank you Krista for being my friend
And getting me here by noon.
Here we are still without you
one year later, there has never been a pain any greater
Daily, we remember your sound
your smile and the way you felt
I am so sorry for the hand you were dealt
We miss you so much it's unreal
To have you back we would kill
We want to believe that you hear us talk to you up there
You must know how much we care
Pieces of some of us went with you
so forever our bond is true
We will always ask why and we will never understand
and that will always make us mad
Dear God, it didn't have to be so bad
Each of us have our own special memories of you
man, you were so awesome Blue
We're doing the best we can to go on without you
some days are better than the other
then there is days that in the pain and sorrow we smother
You will never be forgotten
and as for the new cousin you never got to meet
he will hear all about Cam-Cam and know that he is called Blue
in honor of you
We love and miss you so much through the wind
we long to feel your touch
My dearest young man
pretend right now that we are hand in hand
I love you so much baby
For now I must go
God Bless your soul
ONE YEAR TO LIVE
What if I was told by God I had one year to live,
And not a doctor with that news that he was told to give?
What if God would clearly say that one year from today
I could be kneeling at His throne, in tears and sad dismay?
Since time for me seems to go fast, right then it would not be
The kind of words I want to hear or vision I might see.
Yet I don’t know I have one year, or even have one day
To live for God and do His will and try to walk His way.
He may be calling yet tonight before the dawning breaks;
If I should die before I wake, I pray my soul He takes.
I pray I’ll kneel before His throne not for the shame I lived,
But I can hear His voice that says, “My child, I you forgive.”
I know one hair upon my head should never be that place,
But also know I’ve trusted Him to save me by His grace.
So though I may have many days and not just one more year,
I pray that God will guide my way, His Spirit will be near.
I pray I never lose the touch of tears upon my face
When thinking how He died for me there at that dreadful place.
I pray for mercy through the strife and struggles of my past
And know the victory will be mine when I seek Him at last.
I pray He keeps me in the place where I know Godly men
Who pray for me, encourage me when with them I have been.
It can be a great year for me if in this year I live
And if I try my best for God with all my life to give.
To My Timothy Lee
One year
Of love to count,
though paramount,
Is not much time
for this fine love,
Yours, ours and mine;
One year
Sleeping in peace,
breathing in ease,
Sharing our cheer,
soothing our grief,
Blissful relief;
One year
Is not a lot
of time to chart
The heart I sought
to give my heart
That your heart caught;
One year
Counting the days,
listing the joys,
Naming the ways
our love does show,
Our bond does grow;
One year
Joy does implore
I ask for more
Of you my dear,
another year
Of love so clear.
Would you give up on God?
Family?
Friends?
Or even yourself?
What would you do?
That’s for you to decide.
Would you pray?
Give up on faith?
Or even your own morals?
I would do:
Pray to God.
Try to find love.
And even have faith to live.
What would u do?
Only you can answer that question.
So what would you do?